Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2016 www.gourmetnews.com Naturally Healthy NATURALLY HEALTHY 1 4 Report Finds Organic Food Trade Booming The booming U.S. organic industry posted new records in 2015, with total organic product sales hitting a new benchmark of $43.3 billion, up a robust 11 percent from the previous year's record level and far outstripping the overall food market's growth rate of 3 percent, according to the Organic Trade Association's 2016 Organic Industry Sur- vey. The industry saw its largest annual dol- lar gain ever in 2015, adding $4.2 billion in sales, up from the $3.9 billion in new sales recorded in 2014. Of the $43.3 bil- lion in total organic sales, $39.7 billion were organic food sales, up 11 percent from the previous year, and non-food or- ganic products accounted for $3.6 bil- lion, up 13 percent. Nearly 5 percent of all food sold in the U.S. is organic. Increased consumer demand for or- ganic products in 2015 could also be at- tributed to greater access to these products from mainstream retailers. As supermarkets, big box stores, member- ship warehouse clubs, and other outlets continued to up their organic offerings, organic options have become more avail- able than ever before. "Organic will con- tinue to be the most meaningful farm-to-fork—and fiber—system," said OTA's CEO and Executive Director Laura Batcha. Organic produce retained its long- standing spot as the largest of all the or- ganic categories with sales of $14.4 bil- lion, up 10.6 percent. Produce has always been and continues to be a gateway to or- ganic. It's easy for shoppers to make the connection between agricultural prac- tices used in the field and the fresh fruit or vegetables they bite into. Almost 13 percent of the produce sold in this coun- try is now organic. The demand for fresh organic was most evident in the continued growth of "fresh juices and drinks," which saw explosive growth of 33.5 percent in 2015, making it the fastest-growing of all the organic subcategories. The fastest-growing of the eight major organic categories was condi- ments, which crossed the $1 billion mark in sales for the first time in 2015, on 18.5 percent growth. Dairy, the second biggest organic food category, accounted for $6.0 billion in sales, an increase of over 10 percent. Dairy accounts for 15 percent of total or- ganic food sales. "Farm fresh foods—produce and dairy—are driving the market. Together, they account for more than half of total organic food sales," Batcha observed. "The organic market looks like a healthy plate." Organic snack food sales are also grow- ing, with sales of $2.3 billion, up almost 14 percent from 2014. Consumers are not just eating organic, they are incorporat- ing more into their total lifestyle. Organic non-food products continue to gain in popularity. Even though non-food prod- ucts account for just 8.2 percent of over- all organic sales, the almost 13 percent growth rate in the sales of organic non- food products outpaces the growth rate in organic food, as well as the overall growth of comparable products, prima- rily conventional, which inched up by a mere 2.8 percent. Growth in the non- food category was led by organic fiber, followed closely by organic supplements. The growth in the organic market, however, did not come without contin- ued challenges to the supply chain. Sup- ply issues persisted to dominate the industry, as organic production in the U.S. lagged behind consumption. In re- sponse, the organic industry came to- gether in creative and proactive ways to address the supply challenge, to improve and develop infrastructure, and to advo- cate for policy to advance the sector. "The industry joined in collaborative ways to invest in infrastructure and edu- cation, and individual companies in- vested in their own supply chains to ensure a dependable stream of organic products for the consumer," Batcha said. Despite all the challenges, the organic in- dustry saw its largest dollar growth ever. Dairy and grains were two areas where growth could have been even more ro- bust in 2015 if greater supply had been available. There is an industry-wide un- derstanding of the need to build a secure supply chain that can support demand. This goes hand-in-hand with securing more organic acreage, developing pro- grams to help farmers transition to or- ganic, and encouraging new farmers to farm organically. Some companies are dealing with these supply issues individually. Meanwhile, others are working together to address this concern. One example is the U.S. Or- ganic Grain Collaborative, whose mem- bers include Annie's, Stonyfield, Organic Valley, Clif Bar, Nature's Path and Grain Millers, among others. On the fiber side, 2015 saw the creation of OTA's Organic Fiber Council, which includes members from across the organic fiber industry, and whose focus is to increase the aware- ness of the benefits of organic fibers and to encourage more organic cotton acreage in the U.S. Despite strategic challenges, OTA's Batcha is confident about the industry's future prospects. "Organic is a bright spot in agriculture and the economy of America. Our success will continue to be built on a solid foundation of stakeholder engagement, transparency and meaning- ful organic standards that consumers trust in." OTA's 2016 Organic Industry Survey was conducted from January 7, 2016, through March 25, 2016. More than 200 companies responded to the survey. GN BelGioioso Introduces New Snacking Fontina, Mini Mascarpone and Mini Ricotta BelGioioso Cheese, Inc. is introducing three new items that meet consumer's needs for individual sized, portion-con- trolled snacks. "Following on the heels of our enor- mously popular Fresh Mozzarella Snack- ing Cheese, we decided to expand the line to include a Fontina Snacking Cheese," states Sean Moran, Vice Presi- dent of Sales. "At just 70 calories, its mild, buttery flavor truly brings a smile with every bite." In addition to the Fontina Snacking Cheese, BelGioioso has created a 3- ounce Mini Mascarpone™ cup designed for freshness and convenience and a 5- ounce Mini Ricotta™ single-serve cup. "The Mini Mascarpone and Mini Ri- cotta are petite sized cups of our all-nat- ural, award-winning cheeses, offering freshness, convenience and portion con- trol for the consumer," says Moran. "The cheese is packed with protein and cal- cium and offers a healthier alternative to traditional snacks." As with all BelGioioso cheeses, the new offerings are made using traditional Italian cheesemaking methods. They are all-natural, rBST-free, gluten-free and contain no gums or fillers. The Mini Mascarpone cups are a perfect size for a healthier spread option, with each serv- ing at nearly half the calories of butter. The Mini Ricotta cups provide an indi- vidual serving of 16 grams of protein and 60 percent of the daily value in calcium and is packaged for use as a single serve breakfast option with fresh fruit and gra- nola, or as a fresh, creamy dip for vegeta- bles. Each mini portion of the Fontina Snacking Cheese is full of flavor and has only 70 calories. Individual packages are printed with the BelGioioso signature snacking smile logo. Protein continues to be top of mind for consumers in relation to satiety, weight management and sustained energy with 51 percent of consumers seeking out protein rich snacks for their daily diets. With the key drivers of snacking occa- sions being time, convenience, health, portion control and exploration, Bel- Gioioso's new Snacking and Mini protein rich cheeses provide a delicious and fla- vorful snack choice. The 70-calorie Fontina Snacking Cheese contains three cubes, packaged into individual 0.75-ounce packages and available in 6-ounce retail bags packed 10 per case. The 3-ounce Mini Mascar- pone cups are packed 18 cups per case, while the 5-ounce Mini Ricotta cups are packed 12 per case. GN Cheribundi's Tart Cherry Juice Cheribundi's story began when a former professional tennis player started snacking on tart cherries and discovered that his back pain was eased. A team of researchers from Cornell University was brought on board to continue exploring the potential health benefits and helped the company perfect a juicing process that retains all of the fruit's natural goodness. Since then, it has built the entire company around the tart cherry and supporting the farmers who grow them. What are these benefits? Tart cherries have been proven to relieve pain associated with arthritis and gout, accelerate athletic recovery and improve sleep. Surprised? You aren't the only one. In fact, the company re- cently launched a new benefits-focused campaign titled "Who Knew?" that was in- spired by the shocked reactions the com- pany receives when explaining just how great tart cherries are for everyone – from professional athletes to retirees. Cheribundi is a trusted vendor for 140 professional and college teams that use Tart Cherry Juice for athletic recovery. But why should adults get to have all the fun? Today, kids play harder and work harder than ever before. Between school, team sports and other extracurricular ac- tivities, children need all the nutritional help they can get! This June, the company is releasing Cheribuddy, a great-tasting blend of tart cherries and other natural juices, just for kids. Both delicious and nu- tritious, it's a drink parents and children can agree on. GN

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